Now hiring for new Director of Sales position

East County News Service

January 24, 2018 (El Cajon) --  Sycuan Casino announced today that the organization is now hiring for a new Director of Sales position. This position is the first of over 700 new jobs for the hotel and resort expansion project. The new positions will be in the hotel, food and beverage and casino divisions. Sycuan will begin hiring for departmental leadership positions during the first half of the year and will host a series of job fairs mid to late 2018.

Update: Services are scheduled for February 8 at 11 a.m. at Foothills Christian Church. 365 West Bradley in El Cajon.

By Miriam Raftery

January 18, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) – Charles “Chuck” Hansen passed away suddenly on Monday night, January 15^th.  A civic leader active in many organizations for decades, Hansen mentored and befriended many people , leading numerous charitable efforts as well as promoting East County.

He is remembered by San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce president/CEO Eric Lund as a community icon whose “years of knowledge and experience has helped to make San Diego East County a better place to live, work and play.”

East County News Service

January 11, 2018 (La Mesa) - On Tuesday, March 27 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., La Mesa Chamber of Commerce invites you to join them for an evening mixer at one of the newest wine bars in La Mesa and East County, the Proprietor’s Reserve Wine Bar at the Riviera.

By Miriam Raftery

January 5, 2018 (Washington D.C.) – U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions yesterday announced he is rescinding the Cole memorandum, an Obama administration policy that prevented the federal government from interfering with states that voted to legalize marijuana sales and use, though prosecutors could still target drug smugglers or criminals targeting minors. 

 Under Sessions’ new policy, federal prosecutors in states where pot is legal can now choose how aggressively they wish to enforce federal marijuana law. The action causes confusion in California, where sales of recreational marijuana began January 1^st in accordance with a voter-approved ballot initiative, and could have a chilling effect nationally.  Around 40 states have legalized medical marijuana and eight states plus the District of Columbia also allow recreational marijuana use.

By Paul Kruze

December 29, 2017 (Santee) – Santee’s City Council would like nothing more than to follow in the footsteps of El Cajon and lure a large hotel chain to build a business-class hotel in the growing city. But at Council’s December 13th meeting, it became evident that the biggest question these days is not whether the sprawling community could support such an investment, but rather where to put it. So says a San Francisco-consultant firm that was hired by Santee last Spring to develop a feasibility study on what it would take for it to happen in short order.

The Time Bandit Solution: Structured Time & Workflow, by Edward G. Brown (Cohen Brown Picture Company, 2014, Los Angeles, California, 249 pages).

Book Review by Dennis Moore

December 5, 2017 (San Diego) - Edward G. Brown, philanthropist, entrepreneur and noted Hollywood mover and shaker, has written a book that resonates with me for a variety of reasons; The Time Bandit Solution: Structured Time & Workflow. I actually suffer from some of the same Time Bandit issues that he points out in his book. Coming on the heels of my review of his wife Shari Sharifi Brown’s book; The 7 Commandments for Happiness and Prosperity, this author’s book is more than a book about business solutions, but actually gives a portrait of his life and legacy. This is really a capsule of the author’s entire life, weaving his personal experiences into a well thought out book on how to recover your lost time.

East County News Service

December 6, 2017 (El Cajon) - The San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce’s Foundation will host a holiday brunch and toy drive on Saturday, December 9^th from 9 a.m. to noon at Hacienda Casa Blanca, located at 700 North Johnson Avenue in El Cajon.

Source: City of El Cajon

November 27, 2017 (El Cajon) -- On November 29, Mercedes-Benz will hold a Grand Opening and begin welcoming customers to its brand new state-of-the-art dealership in El Cajon. The new dealership, located on a five-acre site at the corner of Marshall Avenue and Wagner Drive, will replace Mercedes-Benz’ existing location on El Cajon Boulevard.

Measure aims to help workers balance needs of work, family and school

East County News Service

November 5, 2017 (San Diego) -- State Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher (D-San Diego) announced this week that she will author legislation in 2018 to prevent erratic scheduling practices that have become common in part-time workplaces.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left:  Greg Maness, founder of the Trail Blazer awards, receives a surprise award of his own, presented by his wife, P.J.

October 27, 2017 (El Cajon) — At this year’s Toast of East County held at the Elks Club Lodge in El Cajon, the 2017 Trail Blazer Awards were presented to three pioneers in the local wine industry:  Ric Bonnoront of Red Wagon Vineyards in Jamul, Tim Peterson of Rock Canyon Winery in Alpine, Micole Moore of Ramona Ranch Winery, and Greg Maness of Casi Cielo Winery in Jamul. 

By Mary England, La Mesa Chamber

October 8, 2017 (La Mesa) - The La Mesa Chamber believes that being a good community leader includes assisting those in need. Each year we assist La Mesa homebound seniors and this year we shall assist 24 wonderful seniors - 20 women and 4 men. We collect items to make their holidays bright and meaningful.

Source:  San Diego County Sheriff's Department

October 6, 2017 (San Diego) - Four hours per day, seven days a week, Sheriff's Dispatchers answer emergency calls from all across San Diego County. They save lives by getting help out to those calling 9-1-1.

East County News Service

Photo:  (from left to right):  Marla Black, Junior Achievement of San Diego County; Wendy McKinney, American Red Cross of San Diego and Imperial Counties; Martha King, King Schools; Van Tran, Sharp Grossmont Hospital; Michelle Bergquist, Connected Women of Influence; Kristine Costa, Waste Management, Inc.; Barbara Ryan, Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego; Bonnie Rush, Breast Imaging Specialists.

September 26, 2017 (La Mesa) – The San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce recently honored eight women with 2017 Women in Leadership Luncheon (WILL) awards. Now in its 15th year, the annual WILL event honors women for their outstanding leadership, exemplary character and integrity in the community, as well as their efforts to empower women to succeed and prosper in life and business, Chamber officials said. The awards event was held Friday, Sept. 22 at the Town and Country Resort Hotel in Mission Valley

East County News Service

September 20, 2017 (La Mesa) – State Senator Joel Anderson will be the featured speaker at the La Mesa Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting on Wednesday, September 27 from 7:30 to 9 a.m. at Marie Callendar’s, 6950 Alvarado Road, San Diego.